Alcohol Abuse Facts and Information

"The short and long term consequences that arise from underage alcohol
consumption are astonishing in their range and magnitude, affecting adolescents, the people around them, and society as a whole."

"Call your doctor whenever you or someone you love has an alcohol-related problem. Remember, alcoholism is an illness that can be treated, not a sign of weakness or poor character."

"The short and long term consequences that arise from underage alcohol consumption are astonishing in their range and magnitude, affecting adolescents, the people around them, and society as a whole."

"The World Health Organization estimates that about 76 million people throughout the world suffer from alcohol-related disorders."

"The following may seem like an obvious statement, but apparently some people do not understand that alcoholism is best treated by professionals trained in addiction medicine."

"U.S. alcoholics spend four times the amount of time in a hospital as non-drinkers, mostly from drinking-related injuries."

"Rather than focusing on their drinking as the cause of the many problems they face, alcoholics, during the second stage of alcoholism, start to blame others and things external to themselves."

"In one U.S. study, the intoxication rate (.08+ BAC) for male drivers involved in fatal crashes was 25%, compared to 12% for female drivers."

"According to drunk driving statistics, in 2001, more than half a million people were injured in crashes where police reported that alcohol was present, an average of one person injured approximately every two minutes."

"According to the substance abuse research literature, the optimal duration for a person in alcoholism treatment depends mainly on his or her problems, the severity of the addiction, his or her health, and the willingness of the person to actively and productively engage himself in the treatment protocol."

"Most U.S. teens are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving, yet many ignore it. And many don't seem to recognize the dangers of driving after using illicit drugs, including marijuana. Educational efforts need to be targeted to include the dangers of both drinking and drug-related driving."

"In the U.S., a clear relationship exists between alcohol use and grade point average among college students. Students with grade point averages of D or F drink three times as much as those who earn As."

"According to a 2007 Science Daily report, school age kids with multiple reasons to drink, including reasons related to coping with life, show the heaviest and most problematic drinking behaviors."

"According to alcohol abuse research, adolescent drinking plays a key role in the four leading causes of death among teens-car accidents, accidental injuries, homicides and suicides."

"Various research statistics reveal that there are millions of U.S. adolescents who engage in excessive and abusive drinking. For example, some studies demonstrate that 30% of U.S. teens drink alcoholic beverages. According to another study, the rate of alcohol-related traffic fatalities by drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 is more than double the rate for alcohol-related fatalities by drivers who are 21 years old and older."

"In the United States, the most common medications used to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms are the benzodiazepines."

"Research shows that as people age, it takes fewer drinks to become intoxicated, and organs can be damaged by smaller amounts of alcohol than in younger people. Also, up to one-half of the 100 most prescribed drugs for older people react adversely with alcohol."

"If you think about quitting drinking alcohol, you may want to make a list of your reasons for quitting."

"According to research, lower levels of educational attainment among patients in alcohol treatment before they entered treatment predicted a poorer outcome in the year following discharge from treatment."

"For many people, drug abuse or alcohol abuse seems to be a means of avoiding emotional and/or physical pain by providing the user with a temporary and illusionary escape from or way to cope with life's realities."

"According to a 2007 Science Daily report, school age kids with multiple reasons to drink, including reasons related to coping with life, show the heaviest and most problematic drinking behaviors."

"Alcohol abuse and alcoholism research demonstrates that during the third stage of alcohol dependency, the drinker starts to avoid friends and family and experiences a loss of interest in things that used to be fun or important."

"According to alcohol abuse and alcoholism research, television advertising changes attitudes about drinking. Young people report more positive feelings about drinking and their own likelihood to drink after viewing alcohol ads."

"According to one study, alcohol use was a factor in 40% to 60% of auto accidents resulting in personal injury or death among American college students."

"In the U.S., hallucinations affect approximately 25% of the individuals undergoing major alcohol withdrawal. Visual hallucinations are the most common type of hallucination experienced during alcohol withdrawal. For example, alcohol dependent individuals going through withdrawal will frequently 'see' insects or worms crawling on walls or over their skin."

"Knowing the warning signals of alcohol use and abuse in your teen can help lead to early intervention, and can make a huge difference in your child's recovery."

"Alcohol abuse in the workplace basically has two main focal points: the first concerns working while under the influence of alcohol and the second concerns actual drinking on the job."

"Alcohol abuse and alcoholism cost the United States an estimated $220 billion in 2005. This dollar amount was more than the cost associated with cancer ($196 billion) and with obesity ($133 billion)."

"All totaled, a DUI conviction can be expensive, especially a second or third offense. The costs can be even greater for those who receive a DUI as the result of a traffic 'accident.'"

"Alcoholism research has shown that how people view alcohol and its effects also influences their drinking behavior, including whether they begin to drink and how much. An adolescent who expects drinking to be a pleasurable experience is more likely to drink than one who does not."

"According to a 2007 Science Daily report, previous studies have found that alcohol use reaches its peak level during and immediately after high school graduation and remains high through the age of 25."